


Majestic

by louiscontroll



Series: One Direction One-Shots [4]
Category: One Direction (Band)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Wings, Fluff, M/M, One Shot, Short, Wings, little angst
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-01-29
Updated: 2014-01-29
Packaged: 2018-01-10 12:44:32
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,156
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1159883
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/louiscontroll/pseuds/louiscontroll
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>"He'd learned how to curl them up so small that even the tightest clothing their stylists picked would fit over them. He'd also learned how to do that and ignore the pain, and still move around like normal. It took a lot of time and practice, but - he managed. </p><p>No one could ever know."<br/>***<br/>Niall has wings and nobody knows, and Harry really likes Niall and nobody knows. They're going to have to learn some things in order for this - whatever this is - to work out.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Majestic

_"Niall, listen to me," his mother said, her eyes full of fear. Niall was so young that he didn't realize she was afraid for him - he thought she was afraid_ of _him. "You're special, okay? And that's perfectly normal, but some people might not think so."_

_"But why?" Niall asked in a small voice. "Why do I have to hide?"_

_"For your own safety," she replied with. "That way you'll stay safe. Just blend in, and don't stand out, and you'll be perfectly fine."_

_"It's not fair!"_

_"I know. I know."_

******

Niall woke with a cold sweat. That day was not a pleasant memory for him. That was the day that his wings had started to grow, at the age of only six. His mom and gone out and gotten him oversized clothing so that he could hide them but - it was not what he wanted. It felt like bending an arm at an awkward angle - the wings were a part of him, muscles of sorts, and having them cramped up against his back all the time and flattened by tight clothing...well, it didn't work well. 

He stood up, knowing he'd never be able to get to sleep again. Moving quietly to the bathroom, he checked to make sure the slits in his shirt were still in the right spot and then, an an instant, uncurled his wings to their full fourteen foot length. It felt good to have them open and not restrained anymore, like a breath of fresh air. 

He remembered how his mother had always told him to "blend in" and "stay hidden," until one day, he'd gotten tired of staying in the shadows. That was why he'd tried out for X Factor in the first place - he wanted to do something reckless, something obscure that nobody would approve him. 

Well, it worked, didn't it?

But now he was in the constant view of the public and always had to keep his wings hidden. He'd learned how to curl them up so small that even the tightest clothing their stylists picked would fit over them. He'd also learned how to do that and ignore the pain, and still move around like normal. It took a lot of time and practice, but - he managed. 

No one could ever know. 

But then, there was Harry and that whole thing and well, he didn't really know what to think about Harry, with his curly hair and his smile and his - 

Nope, best not to think about that one. 

He regretfully curled his wings back against his body and went back to bed, even though he didn't fall asleep. 

******

"That was a long photoshoot," Liam yawned as the five of them entered the elevator. Niall couldn't have agree more - they'd been there almost the whole day and his wings were practically on fire, itching to be released. But he kept a straight face as the doors closed and they started going up and up to their seperate hotel rooms. He'd only have to wait a few more minutes. He could definitely do that. 

Well, he thought he could, until the elevator shuddered and stopped moving. 

"Oh, for the love of..." Louis trailed off, letting out a long breath. 

"Shouldn't be long," Zayn guessed. "It never takes  _that_  long...does it?"

They stood in silence for about five minutes, and although Niall was aware of the sideways looks he was getting - the boys were no strangers to his claustrophobia - he was  _fine fine fine fine fine..._

No, he wasn't fine. His wings were  _far_  from fine...

"Hey, Ni," Harry said and nope, Niall could  _not_  take Harry right now, but the boy was coming over anyways. "Are you okay?"

Niall's eyes flicked upwards to meet those green orbs and well, now he wasn't. "No," he said quietly before he realized that he'd spoken out loud and now everybody was worrying about him. 

"Do you want to sit down?" Liam asked. 

"I'll try to call someone," Louis said. 

"I'll press the emergency," Zayn announced. 

But  _none_  of those things were going to help. He needed space, he needed to breathe, and most definitely, he needed to let his wings out. They were burning, and he just...he couldn't do it anymore. 

"If I do something," he whispered. It was so quiet that all the boys stopped what they were doing and looked at him. "If I do something, will you promise to keep it a secret? No matter how weird it is?"

"Of course," Harry said immediately. 

"Depends," Louis said at the same time, obviously a little more wary than Harry was - but then again, he knew that Harry was head over heels for Niall. It was obvious. 

Niall let out a long breath - this could be the beginning or the end - and he took off his jacket and dropped it on the ground. As he reached to pull his shirt off - his undershirt with slits in it was underneath that - Louis said, "Okay, wait, are you going to strip? I don't know if that's-"

Louis stopped talking when Niall's wings unfurled. 

He didn't let them out all the way, because the elevator was too small, but the tiny stretch was enough for Niall to breathe a sigh of relief and the four other boys to gasp in shock and surprise. "Are those...," Harry whispered, "Are those wings?"

"Yeah," Niall whispered back. "Sorry I didn't show them before."

"They're beautiful," Harry replied, letting out a little laugh. "Can I - Can I touch them?"

"Uh," Niall said, blinking a couple times, "Okay?"

Harry's hand brushed along the feathery surface, sending tingles up Niall's spine. "Are they real?" Louis asked. "Sorry, mate, I have to ask."

"They're real," Niall promised. "They started growing when I was six."

"Does anyone else in your family have them?" Liam asked.

"No, just me," Niall said. "I don't know why."

"Why didn't you show us?" Harry asked, shaking his head. "I mean - I understand, I think, but we wouldn't think you're a freak."

"No way, Niall," Zayn agreed immediately. "They're...amazing."

"Breathtaking," Louis agreed. 

"Majestic," Liam added. 

"Okay, okay!" Niall laughed. "I don't know. I just...I didn't want to be different. My mom always told me to keep them hidden, and don't stand out...guess I didn't do that part well."

"I love them," Harry promised. "I wish you could show the world."

The elevator gave a short shudder and began moving. With a quick thought, Niall's wings curled up and he threw his shirt back on. "So that's why you're claustrophobic?" Liam asked. "'Cause you have to hide them?"

"That's the main reason, yeah," Niall said. "I'm just...I was scared as to what would happen if people found out."

"Don't be," Harry whispered, so quietly only Niall could hear. They looked at each other and Niall found that well, maybe he wasn't all along. 

Maybe this was a blessing after all. 


End file.
